Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Great mystery and fun characters
Cons: Occasionally too much about the heritage breeds
The Bottom Line:
Visit the Un-fair
And tour all the exhibits
Watch for dead bodiesUn-Fair Murder
Living in California ,
I had not heard about the troubles that the Virginia State Fair had a year or
two back. But Donna Andrews was able to
make them work for her when she created the plot of The Hen of the Baskervilles, the latest in her long running Meg
Langslow series.
Meg is a blacksmith, although that very rarely plays a role
in the plot of the story. Instead, she
finds herself involves in large, crazy groups with fanatics of one short of
another. In this book, she's gotten
roped into helping with the Un-fair that her town of Caerphilly is hosting as the assistant director. It’s got all the animals and exhibits you’d
expect at a fair, including some rare ones.
These “heritage” breeds are specialties that farmers are hoping begin to
make a come back.
But before the fair even opens, a series of thefts occurs,
including some of the heritage hens that are supposed to be on display and in
one of the competitions. Then one of the
wineries starts making waves in the Winery Pavilion. Meg has her hands full trying to keep peace
when a murder happens. How is it all
tied together?
I noticed something as I was reading through this book. The family members who used to be such a huge
part of these books are becoming more supporting characters. They still make appearances and help things
along, but they aren't the driving force behind the comedy. In fact, some of the Shiffleys, a local
extended family almost as big as Meg's, have a much larger role with every
book. Not that I'm complaining. All the characters, returning or new, are
great and full of life. They helped draw
me into the story.
But I have to give a shout out to Jamie and Josh, Meg's twin
toddlers. They absolutely stole the show
in every scene they were in. I loved
them!
The plot was strong, too.
There were several good suspects, and I kept going back and forth over
who I thought did it. The ending was
absolutely logical and very well executed.
While there were certainly some scenes that had me
chuckling, this wasn't the funniest book in the series. Then again, the ones I thought were funniest
were ones that other people didn't like, so what do I know. Even if I wasn't laughing, I found every page
enjoyable reading.
Every so often, things slow down for a page or two so we can
learn a bit more about these heritage breeds.
It felt a little bit like a passion of Donna's that she wanted to share
with us. Having said that, the story
never truly lagged for long, and it made me curious enough to head to a fair
and see some of these breeds in person.
Weaknesses aside, I really enjoyed The Hen of the Baskervilles.
It is always a delight to find Meg back in action, and any fan of the
series will be thrilled with her latest case.
Not yet a fan? Here's your guide to the Meg Langslow Mysteries in order.
Not yet a fan? Here's your guide to the Meg Langslow Mysteries in order.